God's Will

Wilmer McLain: refused to take part in the Civil war. He had friends on both sides. He moved up north to Virginia thinking he could escape the war. Ironically the war started in the battle of bull run that took places in the city near Mclain's plantation. McLain wanted nothing to do with war and it started in his back yard. He moved again south and he found himself in the same situation. The war ended and a deceleration of peace was signed in his house. He lost everything in his first plantation and lost everything in his second plantation as a result of the war.

We can't escape the war. I am in a spiritual battle that I cannot escape. Is Jesus Lord? Jesus is my commander and leader! Jesus has to be Lord in my life.

Joseph in the same way was giving a destiny that he did not ask for or was he seeking but he accepted Gods will for his life. To understand what Joseph went through we have to understand what it meant to marry in the Jewish culture.

1st stage included an arranged relationship. The family of the father had to pay the family of the bride. The 2nd stage was and agreement period and it was considered binding even though they were not officially married. The third stage was the actual ceremony of the wedding.

Matthew 1:18-25

Mary was pledged (2nd stage) to be married to Joseph and found to be pregnant! He was a righteous man who's character was being questioned because of Mary's pregnancy! Joseph could have abandoned Mary and totally humiliated her but chose not to! Joseph died to his pride and chose compassion instead of anger or revenge. He must have struggled with even believe Mary that she had not been unfaithful. 

In order for Joseph to for fill the will of God in his life he had to be broken. His heart had to be broken. Joseph surrendered his pride and accepted this!

Joseph surrendered his privacy! By taking Mary as his wife he subjected himself to public humiliation. Joseph life was going to public. He was to raise the messiah.

What has God asked me to surrender for him. What has been my response?

Joseph surrendered his personal priorities! What Joseph had in mind for his life had now changed.

Matthew 1:22-23

God is in control. He chose Joseph for a reason. This is what Joseph needed in his life! Through surrender Joseph was able to for fill his destiny!

Doing Gods will is not about convenience but always about sacrifice! Am I shuttling between north Virginia and south Virginia to avoid the battle?

Matthew 1:24

When Joseph woke up...time to wake up!...Joseph did what God commanded him to do! Follow God and simply do what he commands me to do!

Joseph headed over his pride, priorities and his privacy....Joseph like Jesus said not my will but your will be done with my life!

What Price Will You Pay

What Price Will You Pay?

Can we be perfect? The bible calls us to aim for perfection but can we really accomplish this. The common excuse amount men in this is the excuse that "no one is perfect". When we are challenged in sin or something in our character it is tempting to make this excuse!

James 4:4-10

What is the price that we need to pay for a relationship with God? It's our pride! We have to humble ourselves and pay that price. In that he will lift us up and give us more and more grace. In his eyes we will reach perfection through Jesus! 

Romans 6:11-14

God has something for me that my pride and my own desires can never offer me! Through humility and drawing close to God we will have the life we were meant to have!

Philippians 1:27-2:1-5

What price do you have to pay to be closer to your brothers? The same price! Through humility and only through humility can we be devoted to each other! Humility breads openness and confession! My pride holds me back!

1 Corinthians 9:19-

What price will I pay to reject the world and at the same time love people enough to win as many as possible? Paul made himself a slave. What does that mean? He refused to view himself as his own master! God was his master first and he humbled himself to consider himself a slave to all men!

This what the church should be...a tight nit group completely devoted to each other with no regard for our own but for each other!

No Limits!

No Limits!

Mark 5:1-34

How far am I willing to go for God? How far was Jesus willing to go? He was willing to leave the comfort of his home, to be poor, to suffer and eventually sacrifice his life for God.

Do I have a limit for what I would do for God? There should be no limit. When there is no limitations, we allow God to open and close doors in our lives and we allow God's will to prevail in our lives!

When we think about Jesus we typically see four types of people around Jesus. There were gatherers or watchers. There were those who followed Jesus but only at a distance. There were those who pressed in and tried to get as close to Jesus as possible to check things out and see first hand what Jesus was all about. Then there was the one who would reach out and touch Jesus! To be one with Jesus. To be connected to him! This fourth person separates themselves from the crowd!

Jesus did not respond to the followers, gatherers but always responded to the ones that reached out and touched him. No one who touched Jesus left the same person. There was change. Their life changed!

Just as Christ had no limit to what he would do for us we too should have no limits for what we would be willing to do for God!

Devotion through strength and honor!

Devotion through strength and honor!

Daniel 3:8-12

Our world is in desperate need of men who are strong emotionally and strong leaders that are willing to stand up for him regardless of the cost! A real man is willing to take responsibility for his own life, for his house hold! A real man of strength and honor know how to handle temptation and how to glorify god in everything!

God is calling me to be a real man. A spiritual man of God full of strength and honor for him!

These three men had an opportunity to fold or stand up and believe that there is a God and that he should be served with complete devotion in strength and honor! The only way that we can follow this example is by relying on God through our relationship with him. Our strength has got to come through Him!

God always blesses us when we take a stand for him! Everyone around theses guys decided to bow down and worship these Gods!

Isaiah 14:13-14

Revelations 14:6-7

Satan wanted to be God. He wants us to worship anything but God....anything!! We may not quote unquote worship satan but when we chose to worship something other than God, what is the difference? Nothing can come between me and God!

Daniel 3:13-18; 19-30

I am not going to be Satans puppet! Through temptation and sin, satan wants me to be his puppet! God is my master and I am HIS puppet! 

Even in a hopeless situation with no way...God is God and he delivers! God will not abandon me! If I was threatened to bow down, what would happen? I have to be a man that refuses to bow down! These three men new death was not the end!

The bible says that anyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted! Sometimes serving god their is a cost and sometimes there are hard times but I cannot forget that God is faithful! God is in control and will deliver me at some point!

When I stand up for God he will stand up for me! Men that stand up in a bowing world! A&M I willing to pay the price? Until the day I die!

Recalculating

Recalculating!

Story recently about a woman in Belgium that was following her GPS and ended up 900 miles away in Croatia lost. She blindly trusted her GPS.

A construction crew showed up and destroyed the wrong house because they had the wrong GPS coordinance!

People in life are looking for direction. What am I following? How am I going to get there? This is not a knew thing...from the beginning of time man has been looking for something to follow.

Joshua 24:14-15

Joshua at the end of his days...wants to set Israel on the right path! He gives them a choice of two different directions. Serve God or tradition! What path am I on today? It's easier sometimes to trust in our past and in traditions of our past rather than trust in God!

James 1:22-27

We have to intently look at Gods word and then DO WHAT IT SAYS! The bible is our GPS and does not recalculate. The directions that we receive is faultless and true. It will not leave us lost or uninformed!

A lot of us have our religion past down to us by our parents and regardless of what back ground we have or from where we come from. Our religion is worthless unless we live it out.

Where does what you beliefs come from? We cannot rely on anyone else for our convictions. They have to be grounded and rooted in Gods word. Spending time studying out the scriptures for our selves is the only way to accomplish this! 

Joshua 24:14-15

Am I going to serve the Gods of my past or am I going to serve The Lord? The call is the same today. Satan tries to deceive us and trick us into thinking that the way of the world has something better to offer.

1 Peter 4:1-6

These are the Gods of the land that we live in. Debauchery, greed, selfishness, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry! Satan loves to make these things exciting and glamorous.

How glamorous was the pain and damaged that these Gods have caused my family? How exciting is regret, self hate, shame, guilt and tortured souls? A life filled with these things lead only to death and destruction.

If I chose to suffer in sin the way Christ did; by putting sin to death...denying myself and taking up my cross, then sin cannot control me. I am done to it! Sin wants to in slave me.

If life to the full is not enough for me...it's not because it is not enough! It is because we are not content with what we have!

Joshua concludes..."as for me and my house we will serve The Lord!". We have to chose God because we love him, because we cannot live with out him. When we make a decision to serve God, it has an effect on the people around us. When Joshua made this decision, it impacted his house hold.

Luke 8:19-21

This was not Jesus turning his back on his family, this is an example of Jesus leading his family by example in Gods word. 

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40:1-16

Vs 1 ~ Jeremiah would have been carried off with the rest of Israel and yet he wasn't! God remembered Jeremiah's service and protected him. God is faithful to his servants and does not break his promises!

Vs 3-4 ~ The Babylonians knew that the fall of Jerusalem was from God. They knew that God was in control and that God had sent them to carry out his will! God had a relationship with the Babylonians!

Vs 4 ~ Through Israel's tragedy and Gods wrath, Jeremiah receives blessings! God has the power to weave blessings and curses with a single action. We have no way of knowing what God is doing....we can only trust and know that he is faithful and in all situations God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Jeremiah 44

Jeremiah 44:1-30

Vs 2 ~ Don't take Gods discipline lightly! Remember it and allow it to remind you of the consequences of sin. Allow it to help you learn from your mistakes and avoid discipline and hardship in the future!

Vs 3 ~ Gods anger is always justified. It is always a righteous anger so accept it for what it is. We have no reason to blame God!

Vs 4-6 ~ Gods warning to Israel last over 800 years. With patience and love God tried to reason with his people. His discipline was gradual and escalated to the point of Israel's complete destruction because they refused to obey or repent!

Vs 7-11 ~ Some people will never change but yet that did not deter God from being patience, full of grace and mercy. At some point enough is enough and God will punish us for our sin but every example in the bible of this is always a case of rebellion! 

Vs 15-19 ~ Sin distorts our judgment and clouds our vision to see the truth. When we give into sin it numbs us of the truth and hardens our hearts. Stubbornness and rebellion are the sons of temptation and sin. My heart can grow just as hard if I do not put to death my sinful nature. Israel had given into spiritual immorality for so long that they were completely confused in their wickedness and perversion!

Vs 24-30 ~ What a scary thought to see men with no regard or fear of Gods authority and power. How stupid it is to even for us to fathom fighting against God. You can't do it! God will break you! Humble yourself before The Lord and submit to him as your master and you will live! The story of Israel's unfaithfulness to God and Gods reaction towards sin and rebellion should send a clear massage that my relationship to God should not be taken lightly! Everyday that I wake with breath in my lungs and life in my body will be a day that I will serve God and obey his commands!!!!

Jeremiah 39

Jeremiah 39:1-18

Vs 4 ~ You can't run from God. Zedekiah was only looking out for himself. Had he surrendered his throne he would have saved countless lives!

Vs 5 ~ God pronounced his sentence on Zedekiah through king Nebuchadnezzar!

Vs 6 ~ Zedekiah's story could have been drastically different. In Jeremiah 38:17-18...God promised Zedekiah that he and his family would live if he chose to repent and surrender to God! Zedekiah chose destruction for him and his family by not letting go and trusting God!

Vs 10 ~ All the oppressed and helpless people that God had warned the nobles of Israel to not mistreat were finally given justice! God always wants us to look out for the harassed and helpless among us. God does not turn a blind eye to thoughts who are mistreated or unfairly treated!

Vs 11-14 ~ God was faithful to Jeremiah as well. God never allowed him to die and protected him from all harm. There were hardships and Jeremiah did go through a lot of hard times as a result of doing Gods will but God never forsake him or abandoned him!

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:14-28

Vs 14 ~ why does the bible go into such great detail on things that seem to have no relevance for us today? Why does knowing the Jeremiah was brought to the third entrance of the temple of The Lord significant?

Jeremiah was known at this point to preach the truth...regardless of how his listeners would react! Why did Zedekiah feel he needed to encourage Jeremiah to tell him the truth? Maybe after being beaten and imprisoned, Zedekiah thought Jeremiah's story about what God was speaking to him would change?

Vs 17 ~ life through surrender! Is this not the choice that God presents to all of us? Surrender for Zedekiah meant giving up his kingdom. Giving up his plans for his life. Same cost that we face today in choosing God and his will for our lives.

As with us this choice of surrender not only affects us but the people around us. Zedekiah's decision to surrender would mean that his family would live!

Vs 20 ~ Obedience to God is always in our best interest. "It will go well with you" is found in multiple scriptures regarding obedience to God.

Refusing to surrender had a consequence. When we refuse to surrender to God there is also a consequence. When I rely on my own strength and try to do things my way it always ends in disaster!

Vs 24-26 ~ Jeremiah was ordered to lie by the king and he obeyed that order. Is that right? Did Jeremiah lie and disobey God because he was scared he would die? The threat of death never stopped him before from doing what was right. Was Jeremiah justified in lying before God in this case?

Devotion

New Years Midweek Service.

Devotion!

Acts 2:1-47

What better way to start off the years than with the good news of Jesus and Salvation. The whole reason we gather together is to worship God and remember the promise of God through Jesus.

As the first church was started, this is what was preached. The good news that Jesus was the son of God and that he offers salvation. The response from the early disciples were to be devoted. Devotion is the call today as well! Do you understand what devotion to God really means?

It is an unrelenting passion that does not give way. It's is really running the race and not growing weary! If you have true devotion then you will not let up. It's about attending to the one you love continually. Devotion never quits. Devotion is about loving people so much...even people that don't love you and other sending your son to die for them so that they may have salvation.

God is the ultimate example of devotion! 

Devotion cannot have two masters. You can't be devoted to Jesus and then Flirt with the world.

2 Corinthians 2:11

Jesus is not other only one that wants our devotion. Satan wants devotion as well. We have a choice. Am I going to be devoted to God and his will or to the world and its desires? Titus 3:3-15

Take movies for example: no one would go see a love story where one person is half way devoted to the other. We long for complete devotion from others. God is no different he wants complete devotion!

In Acts 2 we see that the early believers were devoted to each other as well. They stayed devoted to fellowship, the teaching, breaking of bread and to prayer and then ultimately they were devoted to God!

So why would we want to be devoted to God?

Joel 2:12

God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love! Why would you not want to be devoted to a God like this?

If I was to remove all of the convictions, courage and wisdom that God has given me in my life, over the years, where would I be today? Gods grace has been pored out on me with out measure! Genius is 6:6 says that good hurts for us and feels pain for us. Don't ever think that God does not care for us or understands what we are going through. Why not be devoted to a God like this?

There is nothing on this earth that deserves our devotion more than God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!

1 Chronicles 28:9-10

What Matters Most?

What would you run after?

Andre Johnson gives to charity every year by allowing 12 kids buy what ever they want from Toys R Us for 80 seconds.

What really matters most in my life?

Matthew 6:19-24

If I could persue anything or have anything what would it be?
There are some many things to peruse in this world...what is your heart set on? We can set our hearts on heavenly things or worldly things.

We chase after worldly things that can never truly be ours! We can not take anything with us! Our worldly possessions all will expire. We need to seek treasures in heaven!

How do you know if your are seeking treasures in heaven? I cannot store up treasures in Haven by accident. If I do not decided to store up treasures in heaven then it will never happen. Is about a choice and a decision to put more value in Godly things.

No one would ever say that they serve money and that money is there god! We justify it and mask our idolatry under the curtain of a savings account, a new card that we MUST have...ect.

A good barometer of where our heart is, is by looking at what we invest our time in. Am I investing my time to advance Gods Kingdom or am I investing in storing up treasures on earth?

Matthew 6:25-34

God warns us not to run after theses things! What things? Everything in this scripture is a need . We have legitimate needs and God knows this!

The pagans run after these things because they do not have a God to meet these needs. I serve a God that will provide these things for me! Trying to rely on my self and provide for my self by chasing after these things is a a form of atheism! With out faith it is impossible to please God!

God says seek his Kingdom first! Is there a dollar amount that would take priority over my relationship with God?

What about dating? If your single do you have faith that God will provide the man or woman that you need? It always come down to faith in God and trusting that he has our best interest at heart!

"His Kingdom and his righteousness"! Means his needs and his will before my own. It's also about Lordship. Who is Lord? I cannot serve two masters!

Seeking Gods kingdom...how often am I sharing my faith, giving to others and laying down my life for God? When we seek God first and when he is priority our life becomes what it was intended to be!

A Full View of Grace

A Full View of Grace

John 11:1

The very things that "delay us" may be that very things that God is using to bring deliverance or salvation.

Sorrow, sin and death: every problem we'll ever have.

Why doesn't  Jesus run back to Lazarus? He is omnipotent but we don't understand... There are tough days out there. We have to fight our thoughts and emotions, fight them with the truth/the Bible!

•During the darkest of times i have to be certain of God's love! We have to commit to holding on to the truth, God's truth!

"You can not judge God's love by his actions, conversely,  you can't judge His actions by His love."

Sometimes the very thing that is making us suffer is the very thing that God needs to turn me to himself!

Genesis 36

We can not mistake material things for spiritual blessings... The cross. Is our spiritual gift!!

•We have to understand God's character:

Hebrews 11:8-13

Sometimes we think we deserve things/blessings; we act as though we're owed something!

God sees much more than what we can see; all of His discipline is for our own good! Never done mean spirited!
We need to know God's character.

We can not try to conform God to our schedule, we need to walk in His light/his schedule!

Jesus weeps; hurts because they're  hurting, because of their lack of faith?
Is my goal comfort or to glorify God?

***If my joy in this life is rooted in my comfort, it can not last!!!***

Our spirit needs to long to die with God! So that we may live in Him!

Dressed For Success

Dressed for Success

Opening question: Have you ever tried to change something and felt like you had no power to change it? Have you ever done something really stupid and had no clue why you did it?

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Why do you think Paul says we need to be strong in Gods power?

1. Our nature is to rely on our selves.
2. We are powerless against our own sinful nature.
3. in order for us to be strong our strength has to come from God.

What does it mean by "the devil's schemes"?

1. Scheme means to devise a plan or plot an action.
2. The devil's scheme is to devise a plan or plot an action to separate you from a relationship with God.

How does he do that?

1. Through temptation
2. Worldly troubles, hard times.
3. Deceit
4. Relationships

Are his schemes allays obvious? Why?

What do you need in order to stand up against his schemes? The full armor of God (vs. 11)

What do you think Paul means by "our struggle is not against flesh and blood"?

• Vs 13 Says "when the day of evil comes" there is no "if". We are all in this battle whether we want to be or not. There are no by standers. What do we need in order to stand up against it?

Ephesians 6:14-17

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Belt of Truth:

1. What do you think the belt of truth represents?
2. How important is it?

The Breastplate of Righteousness:

1. Why do you think Paul uses a Breastplate to describe righteousness?

The Shield of Faith:

1. Why do you think Paul describes our faith in God as a shield?

The Helmet of Salvation:

1. How does a helmet relate to salvation?

The Sword of The Spirit

1. How is Gods word used as a sword?

If the word of God is what we use to fight back against the devils schemes, how important is it to train your self. How much training do you think you need?

In vs 11 & 13 it said we need to "put on the FULL armor of God". What good would it do to have the Belt of Truth and no shield or sword?

The order in which we dress our selves in Gods armor is significant too in been able to stand in Gods power and over come. Think about it.

In order to put on the Helmet of Salvation what has to happen?

1. We have to seek the truth
2. Repent and make a decision to live righteously
3. We need to accept the Gospel of Christ and share it with others
4. We need to have faith in God and make him Lord of our lives
5. After baptism what are we given? The sword of the Spirit!

Challenge: Take the first step. Are you willing to seek the truth?

The Truth About You

Opening questions: Who are you? On a scrap piece of paper write the words "I AM" at the top of the page and then take a few minutes to write 5 things that describe who you are. Things about your self. Things that you are proud of and that make you, who you are (examples; I am a basketball player, hard worker, funny...etc.)

• When you look at those 5 things, how does it make you feel?
• Does it give you a sense of value?
• Are you proud of those things?
• Do you take pride in who you are?

Point One: You have value because you were created by God. Not because of what you can do or who you are or who you will become.

Psalms 139:13-14

13 For you created my inmost being; 
   you knit me together in my mother's womb. 
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
   your works are wonderful, 

• Why did God create you? Did God create you to simply graduate from High school, go to college and make a lot of money? Did God create you to just to become everything that you desire to be?
• Why did God create you?

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has prepared in advance his will for us. He has a plan and purpose for each of you.

• What do you think Gods plan for you is?

Jeremiah 29:11-13

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

• What does it say Gods plan is for you?
• What does God want from you?
• How does God want you to seek him?

Point two: True happiness and true value in life is not found in worldly things (school, careers, possessions, relationships or achievements...etc). True happiness is found in seeking after God and seeking his will for your life.

1 John 2:16-17

16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Look back at your "I AM" papers for a moment. I'm going to call out a few things and if they're things that you wrote down or described, I want you to cross them out.

Cross out:

1. Possessions you own...money, ipods, guitars, clothes, etc.
2. Personality traits you have...funny, outgoing, crazy, etc.
3. Sports you play...soccer, volleyball, baseball, etc.
4. Things you like...music, television, movies etc.
5. Physical characteristics...color of hair, height, etc.
6. Where you go to school or live, your hangouts, family situations, etc.
7. Anything else that describes you still left on the page...grades, friends, etc.

• What do you have left? "I AM"

Once you realize that you are not defined by your name or your family, once you realize your definition is not from what you do at school or what sports you play, once you know that your personality is not what gives you purpose, the only thing left on your page is "I AM"

"I AM" is the name that God gave himself in Exodus 3 when Moses asked him who he is. God could have described himself in many ways, but he choose those two words "I AM". God is the reason we have our existence, value and purpose in our lives.

Everyone of you is about to start a chapter in your lives and it can be very tempting to allow who you want to become or the accomplishments you want to achieve to define you as a person. And it can be very tempting to look at those things as having absolute value. It can also be tempting to allow those things to consume your life. But I want to encourage each of you to define yourselves by your relationship with God. To seek after following him with all your heart and by living out his plan and purpose for your life.

The Life and Love of God

The Life and Love of God - Sunday morning reflections

From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in-we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. (1 John 1:1, 2 MSG)

Regardless of our shortcomings - Jesus sacrificed himself and we can repent every day!

But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. (1 John 2:5, 6 MSG)

We needn't live in the shame of our mistakes. Accepting that we can NOT be whole without Him is truly the only way we will find peace. Living like Jesus - having a tenderly close and dear relationship can happen for each of us - every day!

I remind you, my dear children: Your sins are forgiven in Jesus' name. (1 John 2:12 MSG)

Living for and loving God is very different from how many of us were raised and is fundamentally to the same as how we care for our worldly possessions.

Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world-wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important-has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (1 John 2:15, 16 MSG)

Living for others is living for and loving God too!

This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. (1 John 3:16, 17 MSG)

God sent Jesus with hopes that we might choose to, "...live through him."

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love-so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about-not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. (1 John 4:7-10 MSG)

Those living in and loving God needn't ever fear - a life without worry IS possible in Christ. Let us allow Jesus to remove all these fears and put all that energy into LOVE.

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life-fear of death, fear of judgment-is one not yet fully formed in love. (1 John 4:18 MSG)

And, finally...

We, though, are going to love-love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:19, 21 MSG)
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours. (1 John5:13-15 MSG)

Loving others IS loving God. Living for God is following Jesus - the sum of the law.

The Cross Is Our Bench Mark

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. (Ephesians 1:3 MSG)

The Real Me (The Real Us)
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels-everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe-people and things, animals and atoms-get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 MSG)

The concept of reconciliation - using the industry of financial management to convey BENCHMARKS - the importance of standards

As disciples, the BENCHMARK is the cross. It is the standard and doesn't lie - it's 'actual.'

The world asks us to compare ourselves - we do this very naturally / we size ourselves up with others (neighbors, friends, etc...)

The CROSS must be our one and only standard - size ourselves up to that moment, that sacrifice, that LOVE from and for God!

What happens in our lives when we Do Not follow the cross as our standard? How do we pull ourselves back into the fold when we do?

Talk to our brothers and sisters and BE RECONCILED. Don't stay AWAY from the cross. We don't have to wait or compete with God's grace and his loving peacefulness.

We were made in His image and his likeness - not just in a purely physical manner... In all ways. Cling to Him, His truth, and His sacrifice for each of us - the CROSS. 

Share My Life and My Story

God calls each of us to share our lives and our story with one another.

Share my life...  

Mark 12:28 

• 613 laws in the old testament 
• which one is the greatest commandment? Jesus's answer: Due 6:4-5, Lev 19:18
•loving God  and our brothers/sisters is more important than any sacrifice!  
•am I loving my brother/sister the way God calls me to? Am I sharing my life with others? 

Romans 10:18

•our love for others needs to be continuous; always a remaining balance, always paying back! Romans 12:9-
.who am I looking out for others? Am I sacrificing in my love for others?

Romans 13:10

•When we love our brother/sister, we are demonstrating the love the commands of God  

Galatians 5:13-15

•we live in a world where we isolate our selfs; we don't way to be bothered with others! But God calls me to be out of myself and give to others :) 
•we are given freedom; but we can not indulge in our selfs. We are called to consume our selfs with others, showing our love for God in thus way.
    
James 2:8-13

•do i show favoritism? am I judgmental? Different backgrounds?

[] Share my story... 

John 1:38-42

.Jesus was able to share his story because he was sharing his life with others (Andrew &John went from calling Jesus teacher to calling him the Messiah! 

Acts 26:1-23

•Our testimony is what impact people's lives... Paul shared his past, his dark side (1 Tim)

Acts 22:1-2 

•Paul  shared his conversion; we too need to share the way God has blessed our lives. 
•sometimes people need to hear our story in order to help them feel inspired and feel like they too can be saved!

Do-It-Yourself

"Do-It-Yourself"

(consider the opposite of self-denial... Self 'lordship'?)

Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, "Impossible, Master! That can never be!" But Jesus didn't swerve. "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works." Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Matthew 16:21-26 MSG)

This applies to us NOW as much as it applied to Peter THEN. 

Our response to life's situations must reflect our submission to Jesus. It's natural to want to protect our loved ones and the people we care about - and these important relational ties. However, we MUST submit to Jesus' plans on all levels regardless of what we may think - like he showed Peter (above).

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. (John 10:11 MSG)

He is only the 'Good Shepherd' for those sheep who are remaining in the flock (humorous moment).

Being faithful requires seeking faith.

The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah's Spirit let them in on some of it-that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves-through the Holy Spirit-the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this! (1 Peter 1:10-12 MSG)

During that time, prophets and angels were all eager for this message - 'would have given anything.' We HAVE this opportunity!

1. Prepare your mind for action.

  If we are not planning for success and for action in ways we simply cannot PLAN for fruit.

2. Be self-controlled

  We make plans, but we don't consistently implement them. We stop short or even sabotage our plans.

3. Set our hopes on heaven - the grace of God.

  This is our necessary inspiration. Why else are we doing these things? When things become hard to do or see  this will keep our paths straight.

  ("whoever has money, never has enough") - proverb. The continued hunger for whatever motivates us.

Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16 MSG)

4. Be holy as He is holy

  Allowing ourselves to made into holy vessels. We ARE NOT inherently holy. We seek this and pursue DAILY. Setting ourselves apart - critical Do-It-Yourself instructions.

You call out to God for help and he helps-he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living. (1 Peter 1:17 MSG)

5. Live in fear of the Lord. 

  The literal translation presents itself as, "to turn UPSIDE-DOWN." a life of self-denial should seem very different than our former worldly self. 

*heart check* How do I view the opposite sex? Where do I draw my comforts and cravings? Consider these things...

6. Live in reverent fear

It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately-at the end of the ages-become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21 MSG)

7. The blood of Jesus

  We have a blessing and opportunity with the blood of Jesus. We need this redeeming sacrifice.

8. Live through Him

  Jesus is with us and in us - remember this as we move through our day.

9. Check my motives.

  Am I regularly purifying myself - my motives need cleansing. We purify ourselves BY OBEYING.

  It's a shame to get so near the finish line, only to stumble over my own feet.

10. Crave pure spiritual milk

So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God. You've had a taste of God. (1 Peter 2:1-3 MSG)

Self-denial isn't a PHASE that we go through. It is a hallmark of our faith and a requisite to our discipleship. 

What areas of my life display my self-denial? 

What areas of my life DON'T display an appropriate level of self-denial? 

What help and DIY improvements will I seek?

*Remember that all of this brings us closer and more fully toward the joy and everlasting completeness of Christ.